Categories
Club events

Virginia politics was on the menu

Journalist Jeff Schapiro congratulated local Democrats on their impressive victories in the the fall elections, but was careful to warn them not to get “too cocky.” Schapiro, a scholar from the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, regaled attendees at the club’s annual holiday luncheon with anecdotes about his long experience as an observer of Old Dominion politics and his expectations for the success of Abigail Spanberger as Virginia’s first woman governor. More than 80 people attended the gala event at the Old House Vineyard in Culpeper County and saw a new slate of club officers be elected for the 2026 calendar year.

Categories
Club events

Journalist to speak at Holiday Luncheon

Jeff Schapiro, one of Virginia’s most experienced and knowledgeable political observers, will address Lake of the Woods Democrats  at their annual Holiday Luncheon on December 11.

The festive year-end event will take place from noon to 2 p.m. at the Kearney Pub at Old House Vineyards, 18351 Corkys Lane in Culpeper. Tickets for the luncheon cost $25 per person and can be purchased online. More information is available on this web page. Reservations must be made and payment received no later than Dec. 1.

Earlier this year, Schapiro joined the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia as a Center Scholar. The non-partisan Center for Politics promotes the value of politics and the importance of civic engagement. It operates on the principle that “government works better when politics works better, and politics works better when citizens are informed and involved participants.” The center was founded in 1998 by professor and political analyst Larry Sabato.

For nearly 45 years Schapiro was a political reporter for United Press International, Virginia Business magazine,  and The Richmond Times-Dispatch,  earning him a statewide reputation as one of the Commonwealth’s most respected journalists.  His years on the beat — as a reporter and a columnist — parallel Virginia’s emergence as a competitive state prized by both political parties as well as the nationalization of its politics.

In 2015 Schapiro was inducted into the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Richard T. Robertson School of Media and Culture. He is also a member of the Virginia Capitol Correspondents Association Hall of Fame.

Schapiro has spoken about Virginia politics at colleges and universities across the Commonwealth and before civic, professional and business organizations. He has appeared on C-SPAN, BBC, NPR and American cable news outlets and podcasts.

Since 2001, he has appeared Friday mornings on Virginia public radio, most recently on Roanoke-based Radio IQ, In partnership with commentator Michael Pope he appears regularly on Virginia Public Radio.

Schapiro is a native of New York City and a graduate of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., with a bachelor’s degree in history.

He and his wife, Clare, a food and culture writer for several Virginia newspapers and magazines, were married in Richmond in 1988 by Virginia Supreme Court Justice John Charles Thomas. They are the parents of an adult son.

UVa’s Center for Politics

Pope & Schapiro Radio Program

Categories
Club activities

Let’s celebrate 2025

The annual holiday luncheon of the LOW Democratic Club will be held on Thursday, Dec. 11 from noon to 2 p.m. at Kearney Pub at Old House Vineyards, 18351 Corkys Lane in Culpeper.

The cost is $25 per person, which includes a plated entree with a side salad and dessert buffet as well as water and a self-service coffee bar. A cash bar will also be available.

Please select your choice of four available entrees at the time of registration. If you require gluten-free bread, make that selection as well.

Your choices are:

Homemade quiche — broccoli and cheddar

Chicken Strudel — puff pastry with chicken, onion and topped with a mushroom sauce

Salmon Burger — pan seared w/pickled fennel, saffron, aioli and greens on brioche bun

Roast Beef Tartine — herb roasted with a caramelized shallot and Old House Bacchanalia gravy w/crumbled blue cheese served open-faced on toasted bread.

Note: The Salmon Burger and the Roast Beef Tartine will be offered in gluten-free versions. If you prefer gluten-free, please note that when you make your selection.

Payment may be made online by clicking the “Pay Now” button below or by sending a check to P.O. Box 1351, Locust Grove, VA 22508. No payments will be accepted at the door per Old House catering policy.

If you pay online, be aware that the club will incur a transaction fee. Please consider offsetting this fee by paying by check or by including the fee with your payment.

Categories
Club activities

Virginia politics was on the menu

Journalist Jeff Schapiro congratulated local Democrats on their impressive victories in the the fall elections, but was careful to warn them not to get “too cocky.” Schapiro, a scholar from the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, regaled attendees at the club’s annual holiday luncheon with anecdotes about his long experience as an observer of Old Dominion politics and his expectations for the success of Abigail Spanberger as Virginia’s first woman governor. More than 80 people attended the gala event at the Old House Vineyard in Culpeper County and saw a new slate of club officers be elected for the 2026 calendar year.

Pay your 2026 club dues

Membership dues for the Lake of the Woods Democratic Club are $35 per person for the calendar year. Your 2026 membership is due for renewal on January 1, 2026.

This fee covers expenses of running club events and donations to the campaigns of Democratic candidates supported by club members.

Dues may be paid conveniently online by clicking the “Pay Now” button below or by mailing a check for $35 to The Lake of the Woods Democratic Club, P.O. Box 1351, Locust Grove, VA 22508. If you prefer, you can bring your check to any LOW Democrats’ meeting or event and give it to the treasurer directly.

Categories
Meetings

Confronting Christian Nationalism

Rev. Rick Clore, a retired Baptist minister from Orange, will speak to the LOW Democratic Club on October 9 about the rise of the doctrine of Christian Nationalism in American politics.

The meeting will take place on Thursday, October 9, in Classroom 2 of the LOW Community Center. The doors open at 1 p.m., and the program will begin at 1:30 p.m.

Clore is a former member of the Executive Committee of the Orange County Democratic Committee and a sponsor of the Youth Democratic Club at Orange County High School.

Christian Nationalism is a political ideology that fuses American or national identity with Christian identity, asserting the nation is or should be defined by Christian values and history. While appealing to a growing portion of the Christian community, its doctrines are often at odds with both Christian theology and the ideals of a free and independent democracy.

Christian Nationalism often seeks to impose Christian culture and values on government and society, sometimes promoting the idea of Christian rule or a distinct political privilege for adherents to the Christian faith. It often distorts love of country into a form of political idolatry, prioritizing national identity over ultimate spiritual allegiance. 

At its worst it can create a framework of “Christian supremacy,” which contrasts with the Christian call to love neighbors and oppose idols. 

The tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk, an American right-wing political activist, entrepreneur, and media personality who was co-founder of the conservative activist organization Turning Point USA, appears to have stimulated interest in Christian Nationalism in the United States.